Jumping the Shark
by Crackius Fictionus
Summary: CRACKFIC Sometimes when you jump the shark, the result is not what you expected. DEFINITELY NOT TIVA! You have been warned!


**Disclaimer:- I do not own NCIS or any of its characters. Any copyright infringement is unintentional.**

**A/N:- If you are a Ziva or a Tiva supporter, do yourself a favour and turn back now.** None of us need the aggravation.

**Jumping the Shark**

Gibbs pressed the call button impatiently as the man in the bed began to stir.

"Easy," he said, placing a restraining hand on his agent's chest.

The door opened and a young ER resident joined Gibbs at the younger man's bedside.

"Good to see you awake," he said. "You're in the hospital but you're going to be fine. My name is Doctor Bradford. Can you tell me your name?"

"DiNozzo…Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo," came the groggy reply.

Gibbs and the doctor exchanged a relieved glance.

"Good, that's good. Do you remember what happened, Agent DiNozzo?"

Tony frowned; his head was pounding and his chest felt tight. He squinted as he tried to conjure the memory of what had put him in a hospital bed. His eyes widened in horror as the memory returned in a terrifying rush.

"Oh God…they really did it. I told 'em it would never work but...but they said if I wanted to stay on the team I had to jump the damn shark."

Gibbs and the doctor exchanged a puzzled look as a harsh coughing fit erupted from Tony's chest, leaving him weak and breathless. He felt his boss' hand, heavy on his shoulder and he struggled to suppress his emotion.

"DiNozzo, you're making less sense than usual."

The senior field agent took a deep breath to regain his composure.

"I'm trying to tell ya, Boss. I hit the water hard and felt the breath knocked out of me. I realised I was in the water with one of nature's most fierce killing machine. I tried to stay calm but it didn't take a genius to know that if the creature attacked, I didn't stand a chance."

He coughed harshly as his lungs expelled more seawater.

"It kept its distance at first…just circling…watching me with dark, lifeless eyes that wanted to devour me. I knew it was about to charge, I could feel it. Suddenly, it turned and came straight at me, its teeth exposed in a deadly smile - thought I was dead for sure."

"What happened next?" Gibbs prompted.

"The water erupted all around me - there was thrashing and I saw the water turn red with my blood," he whispered hoarsely. "Then, just like that, it was over. Must have passed out...s'all I remember, Boss."

Gibbs frowned, confused by the younger man's words.

"Tony, listen to me. Tony?"

The agent eyes slid closed as exhaustion took him.

"Dammit!" Gibbs cursed softly.

The lead agent's concern was evident as he looked at the doctor for answers but Bradford was looking just as confused.

"What the hell was he talking about? I wasn't told there was a shark at the scene," the doctor said.

"First I've heard of it," Gibbs replied.

McGee and a nurse entered the room at that moment and while the younger agent reported to his boss, the nurse quietly conferred with the doctor.

"How's Tony, Boss?" McGee asked.

"Confused...disoriented," Gibbs said. "Ziva?"

"Not a scratch on her. Abby brought her some dry clothes and she's getting changed."

"What the hell happened out there?" Gibbs asked.

"According to Ziva, she and Tony were searching Malucci's boat for evidence when he came back and discovered them. He had the boat driven out to sea, Tony took a blow to the head and Malucci's men dumped them both over the side and left them to die. Tony was unconscious in the water when Ziva got to him but she managed to get him to the surface and kept them afloat until the Coast Guard picked them up."

"She say anything about a shark?"

"A shark?"

"DiNozzo said seems to think he was attacked by a shark."

"I may have an answer for that," the doctor said. "Agent DiNozzo had a head injury and was unconscious when he hit the water. His test results show that he suffered a mild form of hypoxia - it's not uncommon for the mind to play tricks when that happens. I'm sure he'll be thinking a little clearer when he wakes up."

"Can we take him home?"

"I'd like to keep him overnight for observation," the doctor said walking toward the door. "Tony's a very lucky man. Agent David saved his life."

"Again," Gibbs and McGee said in unison.

"She's saved his life before?" the doctor asked.

"At least once a week," McGee replied. "It's in her contract."

It was after midnight the next time Tony opened his eyes. Gazing blearily around the darkened room he saw his boss dozing lightly in a plastic chair while, to his right, Abby and McGee rested their heads together in a peaceful slumber.

A feeling of foreboding suddenly washed over him and his blood ran cold when he saw her sitting by the door. Watching him with dark, lifeless eyes that wanted to devour him, her teeth exposed in a deadly smile, was one of nature's most fierce killing machines...Ziva David.

**THE END**


End file.
